As you must now know, the launch of our new monthly, Offline, at Irving Plaza with Q-Tip is now only a few days away. We recently caught up with Q-Tip to get the low down on this summer’s new go to party, amongst a few other juicy tidbits.

Giant Step: Congratulations on your new monthly party, Offline! How are you feeling about the launch?

Q-Tip: I feel good about it. Hopefully folks will come ready to dance, be open minded, and ready to enjoy different types of music. And you know, take it to a time where New York was bred for partying and not just kinda standing around – like a real dance party.

GS: What can partygoers expect to see and hear at Offline?

Q-Tip: They can hear any and everything, man. From a lot of dance and disco and boogie music, a lot of boogie music to lots of salsa, hip hop, dub. Old school hip hop, that is – a lot of that. A lot of funk. Afro Cuban, Afro Beat, rare groove. Electronic. Classic stuff! Also I had a DJ booth specially designed which is an art piece. The creator is a wonderful artist called Susan Linss. At each party she will add a new piece of art which is really exciting!

GS: Do you have a certain philosophy around the music you put play when you DJ?

Q-Tip: My philosophy depends on the type of party, but usually for my type of parties my philosophy is to keep people dancing and exchanging that energy coming out of themselves. You know, you work all week or you go through what you go through not to come and stand around and Twitpic or Instagram stuff and put it on Twitter. You come to be offline, to experience it, to dance, to feel the music. So my philosophy is to encourage that.

GS: When you think about great NY parties of the past what were some of your favorites?